Madison Twp. approves water franchise with Adrian

The Madison Township Board of Trustees voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a proposed water franchise agreement with the city of Adrian.

The agreement, which must be approved by the Adrian City Commission to take effect, is substantially the same as one the township approved in November 2011, with the exception of two amendments.

One of the amendments guarantees the city the right to keep eight commercial customers that it currently serves in the township for 10 years, including the Gus Harrison Correctional Facility, regardless of whether the township extends its own water system near to those properties and could serve them.

The township would retain the right to take over residential customers from the city if the township is able to provide water to them.

The other amendment would require the city to provide water to any township property whose owner requests it if a city water line passes by the property.

Contacted after the meeting, Adrian Mayor Jim Berryman said the 10-year guarantee for the city’s existing commercial customers was something the city negotiated with the township. Berryman said he also supports the amendment requiring the city to provide water to any property that requests it if a city water line goes past the property.

The proposed franchise will be on the city commission agenda when it meets Tuesday, Jan. 21, Berryman said.

“I think it (is) extremely important to get a franchise agreement with Madison Township,” Berryman said. “I just think this is a huge step forward in the relationship between the city and the township.”

The proposed franchise also allows the city to provide water to other properties in the township that request it, with the approval of the Madison Township Board.

The franchise would run for 25 years, but the township would have the right to revoke it with 60 days notice.

Berryman said he wants to open talks with surrounding townships about creating a regional water system. Acting Adrian City Administrator Shane Horn, who also is the city utilities director, is working on a feasibility study for such a system, but Berryman said he does not know when the study will be done.

Township attorney Fred Lucas said Tuesday that the 10 years during which the city’s commercial water customers in the township will be protected could be a period in which the communities could develop a regional water system, if that is what they want.

The issue of giving the city a water franchise in the township arose in 2011 when the Anderson Funeral Home, which is located in Madison Township but is close to a city water line, asked to connect to city water.

The city asked for a franchise because of language in the Michigan Constitution that requires it, even though the city was already serving some customers in Madison Township.

The township approved a proposed franchise in November 2011. The city then proposed several amendments to the franchise that the township would not accept, and the two sides did not reach an agreement.